The decisive phase of the Bosnia and Herzegovina volleyball championship is beginning. Two quarterfinal matches are scheduled for today, and in the men’s competition, the reigning champion Radnik will host Modriča Novoprom on their home court.
This season has been particularly challenging for the team from Bijeljina. After numerous successes in previous seasons, they faced financial difficulties at the start of this one, followed by injuries and illnesses among players.
These setbacks naturally affected the club’s performance, and the reigning champions finished the league stage in fourth place, setting up a quarterfinal clash against Modriča, a team they have split results with this season—one win and one loss.
However, all of that is now in the past, and head coach Vladimir Milićević emphasizes that the team is finally complete and ready for the championship’s final phase.
“Modriča ended the league phase with a loss in Sarajevo, but that won’t fool us, as they are a strong team that strengthened their squad during the season. Also, they weren’t at full strength in that match. I believe Lazar Koprivica might be one of the biggest signings to enter the BiH league in recent years. It’s enough to mention that he was the captain of Belgrade’s eternal rivals before coming from the French league. His experience has brought them calmness and stability in their play. All of this calls for caution, especially considering that we lost our first match in Modriča,” said coach Milićević.
Compared to the first part of the season, Radnik has been weakened, as the coaching staff can no longer count on Boris Savić, Zoran Koprivica, and Miodrag Marinković. The absence of Marinković, in particular, is a major setback, as he was excellent in the opposite hitter position.
“Our most important advantage is that we are finally complete and that our players have recovered. We are weaker compared to the first part of the season due to the departure of three players, but we have trained well, we are fully prepared, and I believe we can deliver strong performances. The playoffs are always a big challenge, and we have been eagerly waiting for them to begin. We are ready for the challenges ahead, we have prepared thoroughly, and I expect the team to put on good performances. I also invite our fans to come and support us in the upcoming matches, starting with today’s game at 6 PM,” the Bijeljina team’s coach stated.
Jedinstvo awaits Centar
Quarterfinal playoff matchups for the women’s competition:
- Bimal Jedinstvo – Centar ORT (5:30 PM)
Saturday: - Gacko – Kula Gradačac (7 PM)
- Igman – Banja Luka Volley (8 PM)
- Borac – Goražde (4 PM)
Men’s quarterfinal matchups:
- Radnik – Modriča Novoprom (6 PM)
Saturday: - Magic Ice – Ljubinje (7 PM)
- Napredak – Borac (7 PM)
- Kakanj – Bosna Sarajevo (8 PM)
Source: Glas Srpske
